


Movie Night

by indigorose50



Category: Midsomer Murders - All Media Types
Genre: Family, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, horror movies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-19
Updated: 2017-10-19
Packaged: 2019-01-20 01:37:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12422340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/indigorose50/pseuds/indigorose50
Summary: John invites Ben over for a horror film night.





	Movie Night

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SocksandFluff](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SocksandFluff/gifts).



The office was quieting down for the day. Most people had gone home or out to the pub. Ben himself was filing away the last of the paper work for his and John’s most recent case. There was a frozen dinner in at home with his name on it, a quiet night in.

“What are you doing tonight, Jones?” John asked from behind him.

Ben turned, a little more than taken aback, “Uh, nothing, sir. Why?”

“I was thinking about those Horror Movie Murders, as everyone’s taken to calling them,” The DI stood from his desk and started pulling on his coat, “and I’ve decided you need to brush up on your classic movies.”

“Why’s that, sir?”

“You like movies, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then you need to understand where the ones you like today came from. Respecting your elders and all that.”

Ben was struggling to put the pieces together, “So… you want to come round then?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” John said, gathering the last of this things, “Come to the house tonight. Around 8 o’clock.”

“For a… movie marathon?”

John rolled his eyes, “ _Yes_ , Jones. Keep up.”

“A-alright then, sir, I’ll see you at 8.”

“Good. Till then.” John nodded and left. Ben sat at his desk a little bit longer, wondering what had really inspired this invitation.

* * *

 

At 7:55 that night, Ben pulled up to the Barnaby’s home. Sykes greeted him warmly. Ben pet the excited dog until John called for both of them to come back inside.

John was in more casual clothes, though he still held himself like Ben’s superior officer. “You’re early,” he stated as Ben closed the door behind him.

“I— Sorry, sir.”

“No, it’s alright. Come in.”

John led him into the sitting room. There was a stack of DVDs on the coffee table and a small plate containing a single biscuit surrounded by crumbs.

“Make yourself at home,” John said. He stood in the entry way for a few seconds before going off to feed Sykes in the kitchen. He seemed a little awkward to Ben. Why was John putting himself through this if he was uncomfortable?

Following orders, Ben sat on the far side of the couch. He picked up the movies and started sifting through them. None of the titles were familiar, though there was one called _The Lazy Killer_ that gave him pause. Mostly due to its odd name.

“Careful! They’re in order!” John called as he came in. On reflex, Ben dropped the DVDs he was holding. They fell back onto the table with a clatter.

“I have them in the proper viewing order.” John sat beside Ben and reshuffled the cases. “We’re starting with _The Deceased Executioner_. It’s about an hitman who gets killed by someone HE killed,” John’s voice lowered as if telling a campfire story, “and now he haunts the village looking for a body to control so he can exact revenge.”

“… but how can he get revenge if his killer is already dead?”

John held up the DVD case, “We’ll just have to find out, won’t we?” With a grin, he stood and moved over to the television.

As nice as it was to see John so enthusiastic about something, a question was still nagging in the back of Ben’s mind. There’s was no better way to put it. “Where’s Mrs. Barnaby, sir?”

“Out visiting her aunt’s. She’s staying overnight. Hasn’t seen the old woman in ages.”

“Ah. Right. So it’s just you and Sykes tonight.”

John put in the DVD and turned to give Ben an unimpressed look, “Yes, Jones, well spotted.”

Ben let the subject drop, though now he had a better idea of why he might have been invited over. Sykes came trotting in and settled at Ben’s feet.

It turned out to be a fun night. John openly laughed at the look of pure bewilderment on Ben’s face as he watched _The Deceased Executioner_. The whole movie was one over acted scene after the next, with a feeble plot and cheesy dialogue woven throughout.

By the second movie, _Dinner Bell Disaster_ , which was about a zoo of zombie animals that began killing guests who snuck in after hours, Ben was done being polite. He often grabbed the control to pause the film and ask questions. John answered all of them, constantly defending the movie either by saying it was “doing its best with the effects available at the time” or “a work of genius now shut up and keep watching”. Sometimes John would pause the movie and explain how “revolutionary” a concept was or talk about which actor had gotten their big break because of the film.

The two took a break for snacks before the third film. Ben started listing off titles for John to watch. John kept waving away his suggestions but Ben could tell from his body language that the man was listening. Maybe he would just leave one or two of the movies on John’s desk one day.

Halfway through the fourth movie, _Scarecrow on Death Row_ , Ben looked over to see John slumped in his seat, arms crossed over his chest. He was snoring softly even as a poor young woman on screen was choked to death with corn husk. It was nearly 2 in the morning.

Ben got up as carefully as possible and turned off the DVD player. He grabbed a spare blanket and placed it over John, smiling fondly. Sykes jumped up onto the couch to curl up beside John. All in all, it was a heartwarming picture.

Then there was a banging at the front door.

Sykes picked his head back up, eyes on the door. Ben stood frozen in place. Both listened. Whoever was at the door fiddled with the handle. All the while, John slept.

After a few beats of silence, Ben tip toed over to the door and opened it. No one was there. Would a burglar have knocked at this time of night? Not likely. Maybe a phantom? He closed the door slowly and looked at Sykes, who was still on high alert.

“We watched too many of those movies,” Ben told him. Sykes growled in response.

There was a noise towards the back of the house and Sykes took off like a shot. The movement jostled John and he sat bolt upright.

“Jones?” He sounded panicked as he looked around, “ _Ben_?”

“Hold on, sir.” Ben grabbed an umbrella from the stand and moved swiftly in the direction Sykes had gone. Someone was by the back door. Ben raised the umbrella and slapped the wall where he knew the light switch was, hoping to take the invader by surprise. He was expecting a burglar; though some small part was expecting a zombie scarecrow or something.

Instead, crouching by the door and petting Sykes, was Sarah Barnaby. Ben got his wish: she did indeed look surprised as the lights came on.

“Ben!” She stood up, a happy Sykes at her ankles, “What are you doing up?”

“I— Uh—” Ben lowered the umbrella, “Not to be rude but what are you doing _home_?”

“Aunt Susan fell ill. Didn’t want me to stay and catch anything so she ‘ordered’ me out. It’s a long drive but it’s not worth getting a hotel if I can just come home.” She finally noticed the umbrella Ben held loosely at his side, and giggled, “Sorry, did I scare you?”

Ben sheepishly hid the umbrella behind his legs, “A bit. We’ve been watching horror movies all night.”

“Ah, that’ll put you on edge. Thanks for keeping him company while I was gone. He loves his alone time but a night is a bit too long.”

“Don’t talk about Sykes like he’s not in the room,” John said as he joined them, moving past Ben to greet his wife. He kissed her cheek, “I think you scared a few years out of Jones, dear. What are you doing back?”

“Susan’s ill. Sorry to interrupt boy’s night.”

“Don’t be silly, it’s good to have you home.” John turned to Ben, “I think that’s all I can teach you tonight, Jones. You’re free to go.”

Sarah hit him lightly in the chest, “Don’t be so rude! Ben, you can sleep on the couch. You must be exhausted.”

“Thank you but—”

Sarah gave him a hard look and placed her hands on her hips.

“That is… thank you. I’ll make myself comfortable.”

She smiled. “Terrific!”

The house settled down once again. Sarah disappeared upstairs to unpack and John put the DVDs away carefully on their shelf. Ben grabbed a few more blankets and placed them on the couch for himself.

“Ah- _ha_!” John pulled a DVD from his shelf and held it up for Ben to see, “Next time we start with this! _Stage Door To Hell_. A classic.”

Ben didn’t even look at the offered case. “Next time, sir?” he repeated.

“Yes, Jones, next time.” John raised an eyebrow, “Unless you were thoroughly miserable tonight?”

Ben found himself grinning, “Not at all, sir. I look forward to it."

**Author's Note:**

> Because this fandom needs more fluff and because Socksandfluff introduced me to this amazing show. And also edited this fic <3


End file.
